Brake mechanism for railway cars



1 635 654 M 1927' H. I, WRIGLEY BRAKE MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY ems Filed Jan. 28. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fnyentar:

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1,635,654 H. l. WRIGLEY BRAKE MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CARS I Filed Jan. 28. 1924 z Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented July 12, 1927.

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,HENRYIJWBIGLEY, oronroAGo, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR To UNIVERSAL DBAET GEAR ATTACHMENT 00., A ooRronA IoN or TLLINoIs.

BRAKE MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CARS.

' Application filed :Ja uar es, 1924. serial at. 689,034.

This invention relates tozbrake'rneehanism for railway cars and particularly to theanchoring of the chains or cables usedthere n. The principal objects of the invention are to vrelieve the strain onthe means for ifastening the ends of the chains or cables and to permit ready adjustment for taking up slack. I

Further objectsand advantages otthe invention will become apparent as the disclosure proceeds andthe description is readin connection with :the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view showing the invention, applied toa car; 1 p Fig. 2 is .a side elevation partly in section;

Figs. 3 and-4 are plan and end elevation respectivelyof the principal element of the anchoring means;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

igs.6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are views corresponding to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 41, and 5 respectively, and showing amodified construction.

In Figs. 1 and 2 -there is shown a fragment 10 of a car underframe having a bracket 11, sometimes called a brake step, in which a brake staff 12 is journaled. In this instance the brake step includes :a bar having one end ibent upwardly, ,as indicated at 13, and riveted to a sill at 14, the .other end being supported by an .inclined brace 15 connecting it witha cross angle 16.

The .power developed by rotating the-brake staff 12 is communicated to the brakes through a brake rod'17 :havLing ajaw 18 in which is journaled :a power multiplying sheave 19. A chain 20 running over this sheave and fastened thereto at '21 has one end in winding engagement with the brake staff, as indicated at 22, and the other end is anchored to the car frame.

The present invention is particularly concerned with this anchorage. As shown in Figs. 1 to 5, it includes an element, preferably a casting or stamping, having an intermediate portion-23 about which is a chain receiving trough 24. In this instance the intermediate portion 23 is flat to correspond with the bottom of the brake step 11 and is secured thereto by rivets, or bolts 25. The inner wall 26 of the trough is connected with the flat portion 23 and forms a somewhat rounded abutment about which the chain is laid in a bight, as shownparticularly in Fig. 1 As here shown,the trough is substantially U--shaped and the inner wall 26 and outer wall 27 lie substantially parallel on the sides of the intermediate portion. The outer wall is preferablycutaway, as indicated at 28, to save -1naterial and permit ready access to thechain from what may-be called the .front.

WVith the'chain looped or formed into a bight-about the abutment it becomes a very easy matter to fasten theend, for the bulk of thestrainwill be taken up by the cooperation between the chain vand .the abutment. A; convenient fastenin .is had by perforating .the walls 26 and 2 and inserting akey 29 through them and a link ofthe chain 20. Preferably the penforations are 'inseries extended along these walls to permit ithe chain to be secured in a plurality of different positions. The arrangement shown in Fig. 5 .is very convenient where there are six perforations 30 arranged in staggered relation. iEnorder to provide convenient clearance between the heads of the rivets 25 and-the Ebottom of the trough the latter maybe inclined, as indicated at 31 in Fig 4 and 5.

The key 29 maybe split, asillustra-ted best 1n Figs. 1 and 5, the loop or.eye being on the outside and the spread ends being underneath the intermediate portion 23. The bottom of the anchor element is open and therefore aifords easy access to the key both in fastening and unfastening. 1

The advantages of forming a line or chain into a bight about ;a .bOX, or the like, are so well known that adetailed recital would-be superfluous; and it is clear that these advantages will attend .the fastening of a chain when it is done in the above described manner. By adding to this a means for ready adjustment the anchorage becomes very desirable.

In Figs. 6 to 10 inclusive, the alternative construction'is shown to illustratehow modifications may be made to suit particular conditions. This form is especially adapted for cars where no brake step is used and thereis no other bracket or the like in convenient position. In this case the outer wall low 

